Morning Service for Trinity 8 p11 YrB 2024
HYMN New every morning is the love NEH 238 – Melcombe
1 New every morning is the love
Our wakening and uprising prove;
Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
Restored to life, and power, and thought.
2 New mercies, each returning day,
Hover around us while we pray;
New perils past, new sins forgiven,
New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.
3 If on our daily course our mind
Be set to hallow all we find,
New treasures still, of countless price,
God will provide for sacrifice.
4 The trivial round, the common task,
Would furnish all we ought to ask,
Room to deny ourselves, a road
To bring us daily nearer God.
5 Only, O Lord, in thy dear love
Fit us for perfect rest above;
And help us this and every day
To live more nearly as we pray
.
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen
PRAYERS OF PENITENCE
We recall our Lord’s command to love and in a moment of silence we confess
the many ways we fail to keep his command:
Most merciful God,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned
in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly, love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen
May the God of love and power
forgive us and free us from our sins,
heal and strengthen us by his Spirit,
and raise us to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.
THE COLLECT
Almighty Lord and everlasting God,
we beseech you to direct, sanctify and govern
both our hearts and bodies
in the ways of your laws
and the works of your commandments;
that through your most mighty protection, both here and ever,
we may be preserved in body and soul;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
FIRST READING – 2 Samuel 7.1-14a
Now when the king was settled in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.” Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that you have in mind; for the LORD is with you.”
But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.
HYMN Dear Lord and father of mankind NEH 353 – Repton
1 Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways!
Re-clothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives thy service find,
In deeper reverence praise.
2 In simple trust like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord,
Let us, like them, without a word
Rise up and follow thee.
3 *O Sabbath rest by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
Where Jesus knelt to share with thee
The silence of eternity,
Interpreted by love!
4 Drop thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of thy peace.
5 Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake,
wind, and fire,
O still small voice of calm!
GOSPEL – Mark 6.30-34, 53-56
The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognised them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognised him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
SERMON
Today’s reading from St Mark’s Gospel is, at first sight, rather unspectacular. The most dramatic parts of this section of St Mark’s Gospel have been taken out, the feeding of the 5000, Jesus walking on water and the second stilling of a storm. All three of them are covered in next week’s Gospel reading in John’s version of events. But what we have left does have some interest, it’s full of movement if not action, there’s lots going on and it’s all rather evocative. It is a direct continuation from last week, to recap the story so far… Jesus has sent the apostles out on a mission to teach and to heal, while that is going on we’re told of the death of John the Baptist, after that Mark tells us of the apostles’ return- today’s reading in fact. As soon as the apostles get back they tell Jesus everything they’ve said and done and his response is to take them away for a rest. By this time the interest in Jesus was coming to a peak and was becoming oppressive.
So Jesus takes them away to a deserted place, a place of stillness and quiet, a place to ponder and wonder. He takes them by boat, which at first sight seems extraordinary since the place is so near it’s quicker to walk, but perhaps the journey is part of the rest. In St Mark’s Gospel the lake of Galilee is very important, Jesus makes in all six journeys by boat, some are crossings of the lake and some seem to be, like this one, just a short sail along the coast. It seems Jesus would have approved of the Solent’s sailing boats, as well as the fishing boats – I’m not so sure about the gin palaces though.
But sometimes you just can’t get away from it all and when Jesus lands he’s faced by all those people again, and there is no peace and no rest. But Jesus does not turn them away; he responds to their need and teaches them. And after teaching them he feeds them – directly following this passage is the story of the feeding of the 5000.
I think the order of the events is worth looking at. The disciples undertake the task, challenging and even dangerous it must have been, then they return and immediately talk about it – ‘the debrief’ the psychologists call it, they talk it out relieving stress and anxiety sharing success and failure, fright and elation. They then go somewhere to be quiet, not only for physical rest but more importantly for mental and spiritual rest, time to take things in, to meditate on what has happened, to put it in some order in their minds.
I think we too readily overlook the importance of those simple actions. If we are to learn from our experiences, even the everyday, the regular weekly round, then we should be doing something similar. The talking over of experiences is common enough but the giving of time to regular rest and thought is often squeezed out by the frantic activity of the modern world. Even our leisure time is filled with busyness, watching the television can be quite exhausting, at least mentally – so many images, so much emotion and activity even if only third-hand.
The Latin for ship is navis, from which we get nave, what you’re sitting in now. And I’m sure it’s no accident that the main aisle of a Church is named after a boat. Apart from the timbered version looking like a boat it is an appropriate metaphor for a place for the Church to meet. For we must come to rest, to withdraw, to take stock and consider the week past – and even to chat a little. And we do it all in the context of hearing the teaching of Christ and being fed by him.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Let us declare our faith in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures;
he was buried; he was raised to life on the third day
in accordance with the scriptures;
afterwards he appeared to his followers,
and to all the apostles: this we have received,
and this we believe. Amen. 1 Corinthians 15.3-7
HYMN Just as I am NEH 294 – Saffron Walden
1 Just as I am, without one plea
But that thy blood was shed for me,
And that thou bidd’st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come.
2 Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings within, and fears without,
O Lamb of God, I come.
3 Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea all I need, in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come.
4 Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve:
Because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
5 Just as I am (thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down),
Now to be thine, yea thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come.
6 Just as I am, of that free love
The breadth, length, depth
and height to prove,
Here for a season then above,
O Lamb of God, I come.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION – Mary Hinton
We pray for our world, amidst the turmoil we give thanks for all the good and peaceful parts of our existence which too often we take for granted, help us to preserve and keep them.
May the leaders of the nations be granted integrity to seek out the path to peace and justice, and work for the common good of those they represent – turning away from corruption self-seeking and greed. We pray for those whose daily lives are shattered by death, injury and destruction. We remember as we pray the situation in Gaza and Ukraine. We give thanks for the dangerous but essential humanitarian work of the Aid Agencies.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, you gathered your disciples to be with you, to listen and to learn. May we too follow your path, do your will, share your word and love as you love us. We pray for Charles our King and all the Royal family, for Justin our Archbishop and all clergy and laity who minister in your church. We pray for William and Alayne as they focus on his approaching retirement. As a benefice we ask for help and guidance as that time comes and we must prepare for a period of interregnum.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, we pray for the communities of which we are part, for our families, friends and neighbours. In our busy lives may we be mindful of the lonely and those struggling to cope.
In school and college it is a time of waiting for exam results and news of new beginnings in the Autumn. Let us not forget the plight of the host of displaced who look for hope but frequently find none.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord of hope, we bring before you all who are sick in body, mind or spirit; those in hospital, at home or in a care home and all those who diligently support and care for them. We pray particularly for Daisy Warne and in a moment of quiet remember those known to us personally.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We remember with love and thanksgiving all who have died. May they rest in peace, and may light perpetual shine upon them. Lord, support and guide all who mourn the loss of someone close.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers, for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
As our Saviour taught us, so we pray:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
BLESSING
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face to shine upon and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
The Lord God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
the holy and undivided Trinity, guard you, save you,
and bring you to that heavenly city,
where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen
HYMN He who would valiant be NEH 372 – Monks Gate
1 He who would valiant be
‘Gainst all disaster,
Let him in constancy
Follow the Master.
There’s no discouragement
Shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent
To be a pilgrim.
2 Who so beset him round
With dismal stories,
Do but themselves confound–
His strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might,
Though he with giants fight:
He will make good his right
To be a pilgrim.
3 Since, Lord, thou dost defend
Us with thy Spirit,
We know we at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away!
I’ll fear not what men say,
I’ll labor night and day
To be a pilgrim.